Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-09-24
Does Drainage affect Drouth.

Does Drainage Affect Drouth.
The large increase II the amount OF
drainage do.e In the different sections
of the country with the very dry seasons
we have had the lsst two ear in those
sections where there has been SO much
increase in the amount of drainage,
has led to an investigation Of this
question, or at least 70 a considerable
| discussion of whether or not effects of
the drouth could be traced directly to
this cause.
There is no denying the fact that af-
fording a good outlet for the surface
water aids very materially in driving
out the soil much quicker than would
be in case if the thing were not put in.
| Again, we have acres and acres of land
if put i'to cultivation and made TO
| yield njuuising crops that otherwise
would no. be Improbable, but also in.
| crease to a considerable extent the I'M
h~ealthiness in that section. We know,
too, that the increase of cultivated
land has to some extent increased the
average amount of rain belt. And let me
| says here that in making an argument
or attempting to prove certain positions
the average must be taken. We have
extremes of wet and dry and there ex-
listed fully as much before rs after tile
draining was done to any considerable
extent W. must take the average
which must necessarily extend owe
several years at least. And here is
the worst fallacy in the argument
against tile draining, A very large
amount of tile draining in those sec
tions where "A fair trial ha, been given
has been done in the last few years.
The last two summers there has been
extended drouths. and upon this argu-
ment is made that the cause is directly
traceable to the increased amount of
tile draining. The same sections have
suffered with both extremes OF weather
before-drouth and nloisture-fully as
severely as now. And while we know
by experience that in a we season tile
draining is Il decided benefit, is
il hardly fair because we are having
an excessive lack of moisture, to look
to the laying of tile as being the direct
cause any more than that the excessive
moisture is directly traceablc to a lack
of sufficient drainage. If putting in
the thing atfording good drainage, can
be construed as being the cause of
drouth, is it not equally fair to lay the
blame of excessive moisture directly to
the lack of thing and yet ever since the
recollection CT man we have had the
same extremes of drouth and moisture,
heat and cold. So ear | should regard
the reasoning unsound. Tile draining
has not been fully tested, and should
not be condemned, and should not be
until a fair trial has been made, and
that should be sufficiently long to be
| able to take an average of the amount
| Of rainfall.
In some sections, even where very
air crops have been secured, the
average amount OF rain fall has been
unusually light, far above the average
but has been so distributed that the
growing crops have been able to de-
rive a very large amount of benefit,
otherwise the crops viewed have been
very light. And in a majority of eases
these sections have not the draining
to speak of, at leatt not sufficient to
make any difference in the rain fall.
In other tections where there is no
dralnageof any consequence the drouth
has cut the crops very short, fully as
much SO as where the drainage is much
more extended. So, looking the situa-
ton over fairly, as yet do not con-
| slider that there is sufficient reason for
condemning under draining at least
until a longer trial has been made and
more decisive results secured.
Eldon, Sept. 2, 1887.